Residents of the village of Terslev turned a public budget meeting in Faxe Municipality into a protest against plans to close their local school, which has 58 pupils.
The meeting took place Monday evening in the council chamber in Haslev. As DR reports, the town council had invited citizens to discuss next year’s budget and the savings now on the table.
Terslev Skole, with 58 pupils, is part of a catalog of possible cuts worth up to 50 million kroner in the 2027 budget for Faxe Municipality. Several residents arrived with cardboard signs reading “Bevar Terslev Skole”, or “Preserve Terslev School”. They also brought sharp questions for the politicians.
Attendee Vo Ryberg told DR that the family moved to Terslev because they wanted the small community. According to Ryberg, they would not thrive at the larger schools.
Michelle Frese of SF said the questions made an impression on her, and she thanked those present for the telling-off. Per Frese, she fully understands the frustration that politicians may be affecting residents’ daily lives. She is not certain the pressure is enough to save the school, because other services would then have to absorb the cuts.
Frese pointed to Karise Børnehus and the after-school care program, as well as services for vulnerable groups, as equally hard-hit areas. No alternative has been agreed.
Concern for the village community
Lotte Langgaard Andersen acknowledged that closing Terslev Skole can look good on paper. She said the village community itself would take a serious blow, and that she doubts the intended savings would actually be realized.
Andersen noted that a major local effort had succeeded in saving the village grocery store. Her concern is that a school closure would cause the community’s volunteers to burn out. At some point, she said, people cannot do more, and the local offerings disappear.
Former mayor Ole Vive of Venstre was the clearest voice at the meeting in favor of keeping the school open for years to come. According to Vive, the school had faced major challenges that have now been dealt with. He described the proposal as a bucket of cold water over the people who did that work.
Current mayor Mikkel Dam of Liberal Alliance said the proposal gives him even more of a stomach ache after the citizens’ meeting. He added that the council has a shared obligation to keep an eye on the entire municipality, which is why politicians sometimes come across as harsh and unsympathetic. No decision on the school has been made yet.
